Faded Memories
by Aeryn-Shade
Summary: Sometimes, an adventure can start from simple beginnings. Chance encounters are not always what they seem, and can change the course of the future. This is a prequel, of sorts, to my other story "Hiding in Plain Sight." It can be a stand alone piece, but if you have read the original story it will make more sense. AU Amell/Cousland/Alistair friendship
1. The Princess and Her Knight

**Yay, another story! This is a prequel to 'Hiding in Plain Sight' of sorts, that will reveal a few things about our heroes' pasts! I hope you enjoy it and thank you for reading! **

* * *

The girl was restless. A quick glance to the lofty window at her right revealed glorious streams of sunlight that called to her. She could not remember a time having been so utterly bored, and if not for the insistence of her mother, she would have fled the scene for the outdoors in a heartbeat. Her legs swung underneath her chair rhythmically, not being long enough to skim the ground.

"Of course, I would agree that a relationship with the Orlais is strenuous at best," The girl sighed, and a swift look of warning from her mother and a firm hand placed on her legs ceased her fidgeting. Straightening her posture, the girl scanned her surroundings with curious green eyes.

"Trade, however, is necessary to stabilize Ferelden's economy." The girl felt herself growing antsy, and her entire body begged for even the slightest movement. She noticed a vague indentation in the wood of the grand table she, her family, and others she did not recognize were seated at. To her dismay, the notch in the wood had the slightest speck of white inside and she could not resist the temptation to scratch the bothersome spot away.

"Yes, my Lord, but how do we ensure the loyalty of our people by trading with our former enemies?" She continued to scratch away at the tiny speck, her short nails failing to accomplish what she wanted.

"Sometimes, it takes an example of good faith towards all parties involved." The girl decided she would have to stop biting her nails; it was highly annoying that she could not rid the table of the spot. After all, she was trying to do a good deed. She paused and smiled angelically as her mother glanced her way, and resumed her work as soon as her mother's attention was diverted elsewhere.

"Do not assume me unkind, however-what in the Maker's name is that noise?" The girl froze as all eyes at the table turned to her, and slowly she removed her hand from the table to rest in her lap. She shot a quick glare in the direction of her older brother, who has doing a terrible job of covering his laughter with a cough, and blinked innocently.

"Perhaps it would be wise to dismiss the children for the time being," Let it be so! The girl's heart soared at the thought of escape and could barely stop from bouncing in her seat. Her father regarded her with a smile, and nodded towards her older brother.

"The two of you may go for now, but keep an eye on your sister." She stood up quickly, curtseying at her mother's order, and fled the room as gracefully as possible, her older brother swiftly in tow. The knights guarding the entrance to the Main Hall opened the doors for the siblings and she was greeted with bright sunlight and the barest breeze coming from Lake Calenhad.

It had taken her awhile to adjust to the fishy scent that inevitably followed.

"You, little sister, could not stay still even if your life depended on it." The girl scoffed in offense, and impishly stuck her tongue out at her sibling. How dare he be so rude to her! All she wanted was her freedom, and she would not allow any scolding from him to ruin it.

"Can so! I just don't want to!" Her brother shook his head as the girl skipped around the courtyard in a circle, her blonde braid swishing behind her like a pendulum. She truly did not care if her brother was annoyed with her, in her six year old mind; he was incredibly boring and had no hope of changing that as he was already old and too set in his ways.

She pitied him at times, and prayed to the Maker she would not become like that when she reached the elderly age of twelve. By then her brother would be seventeen, and it was a horrifying thing to imagine the both of them with no sense of adventure.

Perish the thought!

"Don't run off, Moo, we are supposed to stay together." The girl's faced reddened with anger as she placed her hands on her hips.

"I am not Moo!" She punctuated her statement with the stomp of her foot. "My name is Milla!" Her brother laughed and ruffled her hair with his hand, which she immediately slapped away.

"Actually, you're name is Camille, but I know you hate that name as well." Milla crossed her arms and turned her nose towards the air. It seemed to be her lot in life to be harassed by mean older brothers.

"No, I'm Milla. And you're Fergy-Wergy." Fergus's mouth twitched at the nickname as he flicked Milla's upturned nose. She gasped and covered her face, glaring up at him from between her fingers.

"Come on, brat, we're going to the village before I toss you in the lake." Milla clutched her brother's arm and jumped up and down happily.

"I love swimming! Can we go swimming, Fergus, please?" Fergus sighed as he escorted his chattering younger sister away from the castle and down the path to the village. He had learned at an early age to tune out the ramblings of Milla, knowing that whether or not he responded she would insist on talking anyways.

He also wondered why he always had to be the one stuck babysitting her, but being wise for his years he knew when to pick his battles. Except when Milla truly annoyed him, like the time when she stole all of his socks and hid them in the larder. Or the time she strapped all of the pillows she could find to her body so she could roll down a staircase unharmed but he was blamed due to the fact he was supposed to be watching her, and there was the incident yesterday when she put ribbons in his hair while he was sleeping. Milla had claimed she wanted to make him 'pretty' but he knew her and her devious mind.

Fergus had been through much ever since his impish sister was born.

"And then, there was a big BOOM! It was so loud I think even the Orlesianans heard it!"

"Orlesians." Fergus corrected.

"That's what I said, and then a mabari jumped on me! He was a big mabari too; he probably weighed three hundred pounds."

"And you weren't crushed? Imagine that." Milla nodded fiercely as she continued to regale her brother with her newest adventure. Granted, she was exaggerating a little, but who wouldn't believe her?

She was adorable after all.

* * *

Milla realized soon after she and Fergus had arrived at the village that he was not actually listening to her wonderful story and this was an unforgivable offense. She waited for the opportune moment as Fergus joined up with a group of boys around his age and slipped away. Giggling at her cleverness, she followed the path back to the castle, knowing once Fergus realized he was missing he would not think to look for her there at first.

Silly brothers, they never learned.

She came upon a grand stable, where a few workers were inside caring for the animals and her breath caught as she saw what she thought was the most magnificent horse she had ever encountered. Bravely, Milla marched towards the animal and stood on her tiptoes to pet its velvety nose. The horse shook its head at first, being a bit surprised at the sudden contact, but quickly calmed at the young girl's touch.

"You're a nice horse, aren't you? I think I'll call you Sally." Unbeknownst to Milla, Sally was actually a he, but no one was paying attention at the time to correct her. Even if they had, she would have insisted that Sally was the proper name for the horse.

In her mind, Milla was the best name chooser-er, no matter if anyone told her otherwise.

The sound of a whistling tune caught Milla's ears and she abandoned petting Sally long enough to search for the source of the catchy little song. The whistling grew louder as she reached a hay loft, perched near the back of the large stable. Goal in mind, she stepped onto the ladder and winced as a splinter cut a long line across the front of her calf.

"Ouch!" Milla jumped down from the ladder as a sandy haired boy with warm, amber eyes peeked his head over the edge of the hay loft. She did not notice him at first, trying not to cry as the cut began to bleed, until he jumped down beside her.

"Are you alright?" Milla's eyes welled with tears as she pointed towards the ladder.

"It cut me!" The boy looked from Milla's leg to the ladder, and with quick thinking he puffed out his chest.

"Fear not! I will slay this monster that dares hurt the Princess!" Milla blinked, fascinated with the boy's antics as he immediately kicked the ladder over, the wood clanging against the floor loudly. Then, she realized that he had called her a Princess, and she liked that title indeed.

"Yay! You have killed the beast, and you shall be my knight!" Milla stood up, the pain in her leg now far from her thoughts and she snatched up a long stick. The boy grinned and kneeled in front of her as she tapped both of his shoulders with her improvised saber.

"I dub thee, ser…ser…what is your name?"

"It's Alistair."

"Right, I dub thee, ser knight Alistair!" Alistair stood up as Milla passed the stick to his open hands. He blinked once and regarded her curiously. It was not every day that children came to visit the stables, and more often than not he was ignored even if they did come by. This girl, however, acted as if she never knew a stranger.

"What is this for?"

"It's your sword; every knight must have a sword if he is going to defend a princess!" Alistair nodded and swiped the stick once, as if he were fighting off an enemy. Milla clapped happily, and then realized she had bled into her sock.

Mother was going to punish her, she just knew it.

"Thank you, milady…now, what is your name?" Milla squared her shoulders and held her chin up proudly.

"I am Milla! Do you want to go on an adventure?" Alistair glanced around the area, and noticed one of the workers nodding towards him. Taking this as a sign he would be allowed to leave, Alistair held his 'sword' out in front of him towards the door.

"Did you hear about the dragon in these parts?" Milla gasped and pressed her hands to her cheeks. She liked this Alistair; he had a sense of imagination unlike boring, old Fergus. He had not even scolded her either!

"A dragon? Dragons have treasure, if we slay it, we will be rich!"

"Yes, we will, but before we go…" Alistair reached inside his pocket, and pulled out a worn piece of cloth. Kneeling down once more, he wrapped the cloth around Milla's leg and tied it off with a sturdy knot.

"There, princesses can't be injured before we fight a dragon." Milla inspected the makeshift bandage and nodded with satisfaction. He was the best first knight she had ever had.

"Thank you, now let's find that dragon!" The children immediately ran out of the stable, embarking on their first journey of discovery together. Alistair led them to a windmill located near the village, and paused in confusion as Milla ducked behind a bush.

"What are you doing?" Milla motioned Alistair towards her until he was crouched in the bush as well. Gently, she parted it enough to reveal a frantic looking boy that he did not recognize.

"We have to stay away from him. He wants the treasure for himself." This was the most fun Milla could remember having in her six years of life, and she was not going to let Fergus cut it short. Besides, it served him right for not listening to her earlier.

"He..does?" Milla nodded and let the bush close into place once again as Fergus glanced their way. The two sat there in tense silence as Fergus narrowed his eyes slightly, but then continued off in the opposite direction. Breathing a sigh of relief, Milla and Alistair exited the bush and stood in front of the windmill.

"Shh," Alistair whispered and Milla covered her mouth with her hand. "The dragon is sleeping, if we're quick enough, we can kill it before it wakes up." Milla looked around for a decent weapon, and immediately grasped a smooth rock in her hand.

"We have to hurry!" Alistair leapt towards the windmill, whacking the stone with his stick ferociously. A sharp pain in his arm had him turning around to see an apologetic looking Milla.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to hit you!" Alistair shook his head and rubbed his arm slightly. It stung more than he cared to admit.

"It's alright, just don't hit me again." Milla nodded and grabbed another rock, throwing it successfully against the windmill and as far away from Alistair as possible.

She could not hurt her knight, who else would fight dragons with her?

The battle raged on, and in their minds it was the fiercest, most dramatic confrontation anyone could ever be placed in. With one last mighty cry, Alistair struck the side of the windmill and the stick snapped in half.

The two children fell silent as Alistair lifted the stick towards his face and sighed. It seemed he was now weaponless. He looked back towards Milla, whose mouth was shaped into an o, and he took a deep breath.

"Run!" Milla startled as Alistair took off down the hill, and she struggled to keep up with him. As she ran down the incline, she decided that she rather disliked them and would avoid having to run down one in the future. Alistair noted she was lagging behind him, and ran back towards her.

"Jump on!" Milla did not question as she jumped onto his back, and he looped his arms around her legs. The two escaped from their supposed enemy and were safely back at the castle within a short period of time. Milla laughed happily and Alistair crouched down to allow her to stand again.

"That was a close one, we could have been killed!" Alistair nodded and pointed towards the windmill a safe distance away.

"Another day," Milla opened her mouth to respond but instead a squeak arose from her as she hid behind Alistair's back.

"There you are you rascal! I have been looking everywhere for you!" Fergus was furious. He had been searching all afternoon as soon as he noticed his little sister had escaped from his watch. He had imagined all sorts of terrible fates that could have befallen her and it had made him sick inside. She would pay, oh yes she would.

"Ser Alistair! Don't let him get me! He's a bad man!" Fergus furrowed his brow in confusion, and realized the other boy had the same expression on his face.

"…Camille, who is this?" Milla scoffed and emerged from behind Alistair's back. She _hated _being called by her real name. It did not suit her in the slightest, and she always wondered why her parents decided to choose such a horrid name.

"My name is _Milla,_ not Camille, and this is Alistair! He is my knight!" The boys regarded each other silently for a few moments until Fergus extended his hand in greeting.

"Thank you for taking care of my sister. She can be a handful." Alistair smiled and hesitantly shook the other boy's hand, unaccustomed to being acknowledged in any sort of way.

"It was fun actually,"

"Yeah, Fergus! We fought a dragon!" Despite himself, Fergus chuckled and grasped his sister's hand. Her excitement was clear on her face, and even with the trouble she had caused him, he was glad at least one of them had an interesting afternoon.

"I am sure you did," Milla slipped her hand away from Fergus's and immediately grasped Alistair's hand with both of her own.

"Tomorrow, we'll go fight the dragon, Fergus can help us!" Alistair smiled and nodded slowly. He knew there was something special about this girl and deep down inside it felt nice to have a friend, even if for a brief moment.

"Tomorrow it is," Alistair glanced at Fergus, who was watching the two of them curiously. "Just don't bring any rocks." Milla huffed and released Alistair's hands while Fergus laughed.

"Did you try to throw something Milla? You know your aim is terrible."

"Be quiet, Fergus!" The three returned to Redcliffe Castle and upon sight, Milla was immediately punished for sneaking off and her leg was re-bandaged. Before her mother could throw away the cloth, Milla washed it and hid it inside her traveling pack. She could not let her knight's bandage go to waste, and had decided to return it to him the next morning.

They still had a dragon to slay, after all.

* * *

The next morning came quickly, and Milla dragged Fergus to the stables and searched the area for her newest friend. After scouring every corner, and even checking the hay loft Milla walked up to one of the stable hands and tugged on his sleeve.

"Excuse me; do you know where Alistair is?" The man's expression turned sad as he kneeled down to her height, and Milla clutched the rag in her hands tightly.

"I'm sorry, but he's gone." Milla's jaw dropped and she immediately turned towards the door.

"Where did he go? Is he coming back?" The man shook his head, and Milla felt a lump forming in her throat. How could Alistair leave? They had more adventures to embark on!

"He won't be coming back…" Milla's lip quivered as Fergus slipped his arm around her shoulders. He led her away from the stables and heard the sniffles she tried to hide. He brought her into a hug as Milla's sniffles grew louder and she immediately burst into tears.

"It's not fair; he was supposed to be here." Fergus watched as she brought the cloth to her face and wiped at the streaks of tears that had formed.

"I know, but he's your knight isn't he?" Milla nodded, sniffling once more. "Maybe you'll find him again?" Milla paused thoughtfully and slowly a wide smile bloomed across her face.

"You're right! I'll find him! I have to!" Fergus smiled and led her back to the castle once more, knowing that even if Milla never did find the boy again, the hope of the idea would keep her going.

Thirteen years passed, and the memory of that day faded from Milla's mind. As she ran, the massacre of Highever burning in her heart and mind, she came to a stop as the promising flicker of a campfire drew her in. Milla reached inside her pack, and at first grabbed a small strip of cloth instead of the slingshot she had been searching for. She turned the cloth over once, smiled fondly for a reason she could not explain, and immediately placed it in her pack once again.

Little did Milla know, her knight awaited her as she drew the slingshot back.

Alistair looked at the small, broken stick in his hands and mused that despite everything that had happened; this was his good luck charm. He could vaguely remember the girl with the adventuresome spirit, and sweet laugh but any memory of her face and name was long gone. He placed the stick in his pack and reached for a cup of stew. He had to hand it to Leliana, it smelled especially delicious tonight.

"Sorry," Milla muttered as she released the sling and the rock soared through the air. Alistair felt a sharp pain explode across of the back of his head and immediately he stood. Not long after the haphazard ambush, the group had cornered their attacker in a tree and after a few words from Nathan she slipped down from the branch she had been sitting on.

Alistair raised an eyebrow as she apologized to him, and he could not help but be slightly unconvinced at her sincerity. He told her so and watched as her eyes sparked. Something about those wide, green eyes seemed so familiar to him…

"My name is Milla Rhiann," Alistair and the others listened as she attempted to explain herself and a small smile formed on his lips.

He had a feeling that things were going to become interesting from here on.

* * *

**I have to admit, this was a fun one to write. Milla was a troublemaker from the start, as you now know! There are still a few more parts to this and you will see who appears next! Thank you again for reading! **

**Aeryn-Shade**


	2. The Mage and the Templar

**I bet you all thought I wasn't going to update this! Or...maybe not, but either way here is the second chapter! I hope you like this piece to the story for it is not as comical as most of my other writings. Thank you for reading and your continued support! I appreciate it very much! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age. **

* * *

He remembered that day perfectly. It started off in the same manner as every day; his family rose early and he reluctantly began his chores by the time he was able to rub the sleep from his eyes. Mother had her hands full with cleaning the house, and taking care of his younger sister who at age five was precocious and willful.

"Elena, that is not a toy for you to play with," Mother reprimanded and lifted the spectacles from Elena's face. The girl's answering pout formed into a smile the moment her older brother walked in.

"Naaaathan!" Nathan rolled his eyes as his sister immediately pounced on him and wrapped her arms and legs around his left leg. At eight years old he found most females, excluding Mother, to be annoying in general. The girls from his small village were all so _giggly, _and loud, and they had no appreciation for true fun like racing through the corn fields or playing Knights and Dragons.

"'Lo, Elena." He greeted as he dragged his younger sister reluctantly. Mother turned around and forced Elena to disentangle herself from her brother's leg.

"Can I help Nathan with his chores today?" Elena questioned and Nathan breathed a sigh of relief as Mother shook her head. There was a reason she was his favorite lady, even if he would never admit it out loud.

He wondered how his Father, who was hardly ever serious, managed to get a woman like Mother to fall for him.

"No dear, I need your help in the house." Nathan reached over and patted Elena's dark hair that had yet to be braided for the day. She took offense to this and smacked his hand away. She never took kindly to being treated like a baby, especially from someone close to her own age.

"Don't be sore at me, this is man's work." Mother hid a smile behind her hand as Nathan puffed his chest out proudly. The young boy was like his Father in so many ways. She could only hope that when her son grew older he would not inherit his Father's flirtatious nature as well.

"But you're not a man like Papa." Elena stated, earning a scoff from Nathan.

"Well, who asked you little mouse?"

"Papa's big and strong, and you're-"

"Nathan, Elena," The children quieted down immediately at Mother's stern tone. "You will be kind to each other or suffer consequences, do you understand?" The children nodded and Mother dismissed Nathan to begin his chores. The boy whistled as he walked to the small barn located not far from his family's house.

As far as Nathan was concerned feeding the pigs was his least favorite chore of all. The animals never cooperated with him, and more often than not he found himself covered in mud before the day was over. He brought his fingers to his lips and whistled shrilly, hearing the pigs oink and grunt in response. He heaved the heavy bucket of slops into the trough and watched with amusement as the animals rushed over.

"Figures you'd only come if I bring you food." A jeering laugh to his left caused Nathan to tense up. He turned in that direction and saw two boys making their way onto his family's property. These boys were the rudest, ugliest bullies he had the displeasure of knowing and there were many days Nathan returned home with bloodied noses and blackened eyes.

Nathan never backed down from a fight, and he was not going to start today.

"Look here Brien, pig boy is feeding the pigs." Nathan's eyes narrowed as Nax, the shorter of the two, pulled the tip of his own nose back and made snorting noises. Brien laughed and stepped forward to knock the bucket out of Nathan's hands. As soon as the taller boy came within arm's reach Nathan swung the bucket with all the strength he had, whacking Brien in the jaw and knocking the boy to the side. Brien clutched his jaw and stumbled over his own feet, landing halfway in the trough and scattering the pigs surrounding it.

"Get off of my family's land and I won't hurt you." Nathan threatened as Brien pulled himself from the trough. Nax, as always, stood back and sneered in a cowardly manner. Nathan couldn't remember a time where Nax threw the first punch; he usually had Brien for that.

Nathan despised cowards.

"You think you're so tough, pig. It's time you learned some manners." Nathan jumped back as Brien swung a meaty fist towards his face and nearly stumbled as a pig ran behind his feet. Brien was a giant for his age, and more often than not Nathan was the one who walked away with injuries. Nathan crumpled forward as Brien's fist pummeled into his stomach and all of the air left him in a whoosh. Nax took this opportunity to step forward and landed a kick to Nathan's side. The bucket fell from his hands.

The two boys rained blows down upon Nathan as he attempted to shield his face from the worst of the attack. His moment came when Nax aimed a kick towards his face and Nathan quickly grabbed the boy's ankle, twisting his foot and causing the boy to crash to the ground. Nathan jumped on Nax, planting his knees on the boy's arms and landed multiple punches to the bully's face. A high pitched scream from behind distracted Nathan long enough to be yanked away from Nax by the back of his shirt.

He knew that scream all too well.

"Elena, stay back!" Nathan's words fell on deaf ears as Elena charged towards Brien with a shovel that looked nearly too large for her to carry. She heaved the shovel in the direction of Brien's head and managed to clip his ear. Brien growled and tore the shovel from Elena's hands, shoving her to the ground with his other hand. Elena fell to the ground with a cry as she landed harshly on her elbow.

White hot anger surged through Nathan as Brien stood over his baby sister. The air around him began to sizzle and crack with heat as he clamped his hand around Brien's wrist. Brien let out an anguished scream as Nathan's grip grew tighter and fire began to lick the boy's skin. Nathan came to his senses as Brien's sleeve caught on fire and the boy shoved him away. For the second time Brien doused his arm in the trough and the flames immediately stopped. Elena ran to Nathan and grabbed his hand only to be burned as well. Nax stood up and pointed a quivering finger towards Nathan.

"Y-you're some kind of demon! You could have killed Brien!" Nathan looked at his shaking hands and saw the skin was completely unharmed. There was only one explanation for something like this.

"The Templars are going to get you and take you away, demon! I'll make sure of it!" Nax and Brien fled the scene and Nathan stood in the same spot, paralyzed with shock.

He just performed magic. He was a mage. How was this even possible?

"Nathan?"

The Templars would come, and they would take him away. Who would help Father with the chores?

"Nathan!" Elena tugged on Nathan's sleeve and the boy came to his senses. He leaned down and turned Elena's hand palm up. Guilt filled him at the sight of her reddened skin. He had hurt her. He was no better than a bully like Nax or Brien.

"I'm so sorry 'Lena," Elena looked at her brother and he was amazed to see awe in her expression and absolutely no fear.

"How did you do that? Can you teach me how?" Nathan grasped Elena by the shoulders and looked her square in the eyes.

"No, Elena, you don't want to be like me."

"But why?" Nathan shook his head and held Elena's hand up again.

"This is why." Elena removed her hand from Nathan and patted his head in the same manner he had used with her earlier that morning.

"Silly! You didn't mean it; you're not mean and ugly like Brien." Nathan stood up and looked towards the house. He could see Mother in the small window that peered into the kitchen. He didn't know how he was going to tell her or Father.

It wasn't fair.

"Come on Elena, we need to talk to Mother."

Mother looked up from the dishes she had been cleaning and gasped when she saw the bruises adorning Nathan's face. She quickly soaked a rag in water and placed it against his cheek, and Nathan flinched.

"What happened? Was it those boys again? I will speak to your Father about this, those two are miscreants-"

"Where's Father?" Nathan interrupted her, something he never did for fear of being chastised, and Mother's look of concern turned to worry.

"He's working in the fields, and he won't be back until this evening." Nathan looked into her eyes, and once again the unfairness of the situation rocked him.

"Something happened; I need to talk to both of you."

An hour later Mother returned to the house with Father in tow. His blue eyes that were normally lit with humor had darkened. He took one look at his son, and then his daughter's hand wrapped in a bandage and sighed.

"We should speak with Malcolm." He stated and Mother's eyes widened.

"Malcolm? We've heard nothing from him and Leandra for months!" Nathan vaguely remembered his Uncle Mal and his three cousins whom he had not seen in a few years.

"Come here, son." Nathan stepped forward and swallowed the lump in his throat when Father placed a hand on his shoulder. If Uncle Mal could hide from the Templars, maybe he could too?

"How many people saw you use magic?"

"Only Nax, Brien, and Elena…sir," Mother pressed a hand to her mouth as tears formed in her eyes. The thought of losing her precious boy was too much to bear. Father eyes, exactly like Nathan's, held the same seriousness that had the boy silently wishing the situation was just a joke. Something they could laugh about later, not change their lives completely.

"I want you to understand something, Nathan. No matter what happens, we love you even if we are separated. We'll always be with each other here," Father placed his hand over Nathan's heart. "And nothing can change that." Nathan angrily swiped at his eyes as tears began to form. First he had nearly lost a fight, and now he was crying. Those facts made him feel weak and foolish.

"You also must know that even if people tell you that you are less than human, or are unworthy because of magic they are wrong. Don't ever forget who you are."

"Who am I?" Nathan's voice sounded hoarse even to his own ears.

"You are my son, Nathan Amell, and I could not be any prouder of you than I am now."

The duty of the Templars would not be hindered, and Nathan was taken from his home hours later. As the Templars escorted the boy away, he took one last look over his shoulder where his family stood. Mother cried into Father's shoulder and Elena screamed at the armored men taking her beloved brother away.

"What's your name, boy?" Nathan looked away from his family and stared ahead blankly. It took a few moments before he could find his voice.

"It's Nathan. Nathan Amell."

* * *

Ten years passed and Nathan proved himself to be a mage of exemplary talent. He and his best friend, Jowan, could typically be found surrounded by their fellow apprentices. Nathan was well-liked, due to his sense of humor and as he grew older he developed a certain charm that appealed to the young women around him.

In fact, he was an incorrigible flirt.

"Where do you think you are going, young man?" Nathan winced at the familiar voice. Of all people in the Tower to be caught by, why did it have to be her? He ran a hand through his hair, a feature he knew women found agreeable, and smiled charmingly before turning around.

"Hello Senior Enchanter Wynne, what brings you here this evening?" Wynne was not fooled by his smile or by his relaxed posture.

"Do not think to charm me, Apprentice Amell. Are you aware of what time it is?"

"Time to spend admiring your beauty and endless wisdom?" Wynne nearly snorted at this. It amazed her sometimes what came out of the young man's mouth.

"It worries me if such words sway the hearts of the young girls in the Tower. It is past curfew, and you know the penalty if you are caught out of bed."

"You are not considering turning me in, are you?" Wynne crossed her arms and Nathan's smile faltered. He knew that steely look in her eyes and he quickly backpedaled. "I meant to say, you are not considering turning me in before hearing my reason?"

"If you prove to me that you have a legitimate and noble reason for being out so late I will not turn you in." Nathan nearly laughed. He couldn't honestly say what he had been doing was altogether noble. "In fact, perhaps you can assist me in my search. Petra is not in her bed, and that is quite unusual for her." Nathan felt the color drain out of his face yet he kept his smile.

Of course Wynne was looking for Petra. Why had he ever agreed to meet the girl in the first place? Yes, she was a pretty girl but he had discovered she was a bit clingy, hence the reason why he was out so late.

"You have not answered my question." Nathan came out of his reverie and answered quickly.

"She was studying. We all know she wants to become a Spirit Healer like you and that takes a lot of dedication."

"Be that as it may, I have already searched the library and found not a trace of her. Are you sure that you have not seen her?" Nathan swallowed. Wynne's unwavering gaze nearly broke through his control and sweat beaded on his brow.

Nathan had never met a more efficient interrogator than Wynne.

"I…you see, maybe I-"

"Senior Enchanter Wynne!" Nathan breathed a sigh of relief as soon as Wynne turned around. He immediately straightened his posture when she looked back at him. He was the picture of innocence as Petra ran over to them.

"Petra, why are you out after curfew?" Petra glanced at Nathan in a way that made him nervous all over again. This was not worth the trouble.

"I was studying," Thank the Maker she was quick on her feet. "And asked Nathan for his help. I should not have kept us so late, and I am truly sorry." Nathan nearly jumped as Petra's sly hand moved down his back and once again he regretted meeting with her. All they had done was some kissing, and perhaps a bit of petting, and she was already pushing his boundaries.

He never thought that he would say this, but he'd rather suffer a lecture from Wynne any day.

"This was utterly irresponsible on both your parts. Do you know what would have happened if you were caught by any of the Templars?"

"An excellent point Senior Enchanter, yet I see that the apprentices are not yet in bed." The three mages tensed immediately as Knight Commander Greagoir made his presence known. Two Templars followed behind him and he was relieved to know one of them was Ser Cullen. He was an alright sort. Nathan's heart turned to stone inside his chest as he saw the second one. He could not mistake the man's face even if he were blind.

"Ser Brien, Ser Cullen escort these apprentices back to their quarters. I will have a talk with Senior Enchanter Wynne."

"Yes, Knight Commander." The memories of the day Nathan was taken from his home flooded back to him like a raging river. He could still feel the burning on his skin and hear the sound of Elena's screams. Without warning, he reared his fist back and slammed it into Ser Brien's face. The man clutched his nose as it spurted blood, and Nathan felt the immediate drain of a Holy Smite.

So that's what that felt like.

Shortly after Nathan was escorted to the dungeons and found himself under guard by the one he had attacked. He noted with satisfaction that Ser Brien's eyes were both black.

"You haven't changed at all, _pig_." Brien commented and Nathan couldn't help but laugh.

"After all of this time you can't come up with a better insult? I suppose being a Templar doesn't require much intelligence."

"Yet I'm not the one in a cell." Nathan looked up at the ceiling and shrugged.

"Oh yes, I'm a bad mage. I should feel ashamed of myself, really." Brien growled and jerked one of his gauntlets off.

"Going to hit me, are you? It really is like old times-" Nathan's voice faded as he saw Brien's hand in the dim lighting. The flesh was blackened nearly to the man's elbow and Nathan felt sick to his stomach.

"This is why I became a Templar, to protect the people from the evils of magic. You are no better than I, for you left scars on others as well." Nathan walked up to the bars and glared with such hatred Brien stepped back.

"I am _nothing_ like you. I do not attack people for sport, or hurt innocent young girls who were trying to protect their family."

"Your sister is hardly innocent." Nathan surged forward and pounded his fist against the bars once.

"Do not speak of my sister, you know nothing about her!" Brien's lips formed into a satisfied smirk as he stepped closer to the cell once more.

"You haven't heard, have you?"

"Heard what?!" Nathan wanted to punch the man again for the gleeful tone in his voice.

"I bet you've wondered why you haven't heard anything from your precious sister in quite some time." Nathan tensed. How did he know that he had not received a letter from her in years?

"Templars are stooping to new lows, aren't they? Now you are going through my letters?"

"I assumed this was common knowledge, but then again you are a mage. You do not deserve such courtesy. Did you know that your family moved to Kirkwall?"

"They did? Maker's balls, that is shocking. I don't know if I'll ever get over this." Brien's face reddened.

"You will not blaspheme the Maker's name in front of me."

"Might want to get used to it, we mages have foul mouths."

"Something your sister should know well." Brien's words began to sink in and Nathan felt sick to his stomach once more. An image of Elena's laughing face came to mind and it made the nausea worse.

"She became a Templar?" Brien laughed so uproariously at this that Nathan pounded the bars of the cell once again.

"No, she isn't decent enough to join our ranks." Pain throbbed from Nathan's fists but it did not compare to what he felt in his heart. If Elena wasn't a Templar, then there was only one other option.

"Your sister is a mage, and locked away in the Gallows like she should be." Nathan stepped back from the bars and sat on the cot pushed into the back corner of the space. He sat on the cot and placed his hands over his face.

Elena was a mage. He would not have wished that life on her even for a moment. Of all the places for her talent to be discovered, why did it have to be _Kirkwall_? He knew the stories and rumors about the Gallows.

_'How did you do that? Can you teach me how?' _

For the first time in years Nathan felt tears slipping from his eyes. He no longer cared if Brien saw him, and instead he mourned for the freedom his sister had lost.

* * *

The Tower was in shambles. Nathan had long since deadened his emotions to the carnage around him. He remembered every single one of the dead, their faces and names haunting him to the point of nearly breaking. Alistair, Wynne, Leliana, and Milla followed behind him and he would not let his inner turmoil show to them.

Being the leader was a difficult job in more ways than one.

Milla walked past Nathan and came to a sudden stop as a seductive sounding voice drifted from the room in front of her. The look of horror on her face was almost comical, and it did not help that Leliana was trying to nudge her forward.

"Roast boar, your favorite, and candied yams." The voice continued, and Nathan suspected it possibly came from a Desire demon. "The meal looks…sumptuous." Nathan watched as Leliana shoved Milla forward into the room, and the indignant anger on Milla's face quickly changed to wide eyed shock.

Nathan's suspicions were founded as a Desire demon sauntered around a Templar, and of all victims, he recognized Ser Brien. Despite the hatred he had felt toward the man in the past, he knew he didn't deserve…this.

"It's a Desire demon." Nathan pointed out for the benefit of those who had not had any experience with demons; namely Milla and Leliana. Milla still managed to look horrified as the demon continued to weave its spell over Ser Brien.

Nathan questioned the demon enough that Ser Brien had one moment of clarity before falling under the spell once again. At this point he gave up hope of saving the man from this fate.

"You are intruding upon a loving, intimate moment and I dislike interruptions."

"You have this templar ensorcelled!" Wynne exclaimed as the demon smiled coyly.

"Happiness is bewitching. There is a certain power in all things mortals delight in." Nathan heard a commotion beside him and was amazed to see Milla covering Alistair's eyes. He watched the two struggle with each other for a moment longer, finding the situation entertaining, and nearly missed what the demon was saying to him.

"His happiness is an illusion." The demon did not like this answer and Nathan jumped to the side as Ser Brien attacked. Despite the fact he knew the man's fighting style and the situation seemed like justice Nathan felt the sorrow he had been fighting begin to creep in. At last he sent one powerful spell in Ser Brien's direction and the man crumpled to the ground. Wynne killed the demon with a wave of her staff and the room quieted as Milla and Leliana began to search the room for useful objects.

Nathan looked down upon Ser Brien's still form and only one thing escaped his lips.

"I am sorry, Ser Brien."

* * *

**Now you know a little bit of Nathan's past, and you see some of the struggle he has experienced. I hope you guys enjoyed this newest addition, and more will be revealed about the character's in the next chapter! Thanks again for reading!**

**Aeryn-Shade**


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